Nobody in DC

Roel got home to NY on US Thanksgiving evening after his performance that same day in Detroit for the half time show. I had a nice Thanksgiving meal ready for his return home. The show went very well and Roel looked great! Congrats babe, I’m very proud.

The next afternoon we left with two teammates to a volleyball tournament near Washington DC (actually in Maryland at the University of Maryland). Our team was called New York Nobody. We finished in 2^nd out of 16 teams. Our team was comprised of 5 middles, 1 setter and a libero. It is extremely rare to have a surplus of good middles. I ended up playing outside/power and thanks to Roel’s amazing setting I got uprated to ‘A’ (we were playing BB level). This means that I can’t play in any BB tournaments anymore. The odd thing about it is that I have never played outside hitter in a tournament since...I can’t even remember.

After the tournament we had about an extra day and a half and we relocated to downtown DC because Roel had some stores to visit for work on Monday and Tuesday. DC is a beautiful city. On Monday afternoon Roel took me on a surprise segway tour! It was a lot of fun. The segways were as much fun as the tour! haha We cruised by the Whitehouse, many national buildings, offices and museums, Washington & Linclon Memorials, etc.

On our own we also visited Ford’s Theatre where Lincoln was shot and the house across the street where he died hours later. It felt a little eerie in the actually room he died. We also took time to go to the Lincoln Memorial at night (as recommended by everyone). The lighting is dramatic and majestic.

I learned that the Smithsonian is actually a collection of 19 FREE museums. There are so many free things to do. I would highly recommend it as a vacation destination with anyone who has an affinity for history and museums. I spent one morning at the US Holocaust Memorial Museum while Roel was at work. It was a fantastic museum and far exceeded any expectations I had. Did you know that the pink triangle began its life of representing gay people by the Nazis using it as a label on garments/prison uniforms? I didn’t.

We took the train from Union Station in DC back to New York on Tuesday afternoon. A great time! I hope we get to go back because I want to see so much more of DC. National Geographic has headquarters there with a museum which I didn’t get a chance to check out.

A big shout out to my parents who celebrated their 41^st wedding anniversary on Nov 30! CONGRATUALTIONS!!

Catching Up

It’s been a while but I finally have some gumption to write a post. For those of you that have ever attempted a blog or the like will know what I mean. I’ve been very well since the last entry but have had no desire to write an update until now!

We’re in New York right now until the end of the year. I fly out to Melbourne on January 1. I’ll initially be staying with my friend Narelle in Melbourne until I get my bearings. Depending on work Roel may be able to join me sometime in January! I’m currently just bumming around and being a good housewife. Navigating the Medicaid system was a full time job. I finally now have a complete application submitted. I now wait 45 days for a response. Wait a minute...I’ll be in Australia by then. ha

Soo what I been up to since Oct 8? Well on Oct 9 I flew out to Winnipeg to for a much needed and overdue visit to my old stomping grounds. I stayed at my parent’s house for 2+ weeks. I managed to see a lot of my brother Chad and his family which was a treat. I also managed to see Janet, Von and Teresa multiple times! Overall I had a great time and saw too many old friends and family members to mention. My most treasured times were at home playing late night games with mom and dad and being able to spend grown-up time with Chad & Crystal. Of course it was so nice to see the nieces Marissa & Tyra again as well.

Roel joined me in Winnipeg on Oct 23. He was himself...how can you not love the guy? Passionate, expressive, emotional, endearing. We discovered he loves mom’s homemade salsa and playing the card game Golf. We also had a great time playing racquetball with dad.

I had a few sessions of racquetball with dad. A very nice change of pace from our regular eating and sitting around.

Oh! I also brought Roel on a tour of Rosenort and surrounding area. The highlight would have been touring my old high school and bumping into aunt Gwen. Wraithe was kind enough to take time to give us the official escorted tour!

Other stuff that’s happened since getting back to NY from the Manitoba trip:

-Peter from Vancouver came to visit Roel & I and see The Big Apple

-I found a good jogging route, about 1.25-1.5 miles. Not being physically active is not a good thing for my back so at least I have this. Well, I also play once a week with Roel on a co-ed Urban team...not exactly the kind of volleyball that will sharpen our skills though.

-Roel danced and rehearsed endlessly for an awesome piece in the New York City Carnival “Choreographer’s Ball” dance show. He worked with a choreographer named Phlex (he has choreographed for the best as far as dance goes: Beyonce, Britney...you get the idea). I got to sit in on a practice and also dress rehearsals. Interesting to see how it all comes together from behind the scenes. I also taped the show on my camera and will try to remember to bring it with me wherever I go in case any of you want to see it. :D

-We celebrated Roel’s bday on Oct 28!!

-I went to MoMA (museum of modern art): highlights...being underwhelmed with Jackson Pollock, blown away by Picasso and appreciative of Van Gogh. Many other cool things but mostly I discovered that six floors of modern art is more than enough for me.

-We got our wedding bands!!! Plain, simple, beautiful. Fell in love with the one at Tiffany’s but found a very affordable and similar alternative. Yay!

-Roel booked the Thanksgiving NFL Motown Tribute halftime show on Nov 26 in Detroit!! How amazing is that?! Game starts at 12:30 ET on FOX. Don’t miss it!

-Booked flights back home to Winterpeg for a few days over christmas

-Took in a NY Knicks game! :D Thanks Bob!

-We saw West Side Story (so lame) and Wicked (fantastic!) both on Broadway. It was about time we won a ticket lottery. We have probably tried more than a dozen times. If you win the lottery you get front row seats for $25. They reserve 18 tickets per show.

-I walked across the Brooklyn Bridge and back, strolled around Wall Street, the New York court houses & City Hall buildings

-We’ve seen a few movies including Precious (Roel took me on opening night when it was in limited release on a surprise date night!) and The Blind Side. Both great movies.

-Other than that I’m in charge of cooking and cleaning and I love it

At the moment I’m sitting in a quaint coffee shop in Red Bank, NJ while Roel does a Saturday seminar at a store. We were up at about 6:30am to rent a car. It’s a cute city on the coast. The downtown streets are lined with little shops and restaurants. The facade hasn’t changed in a hundred years I’m sure.

I’ll share a few pictures...

Roel and I with my bro’s two girls at YWG. Marissa & Tyra.

I was drawn to this space and felt at ease, a certain comfort. I couldn’t put my finger on it but I wanted to linger by this block. I didn’t know why I felt this sort of connection until I had passed. Punch line: because it was a parking lot. Perhaps simply because you just don’t see open lots like this in New York. I know this may seem like a waste of space and picture in the blog but this is one of those things I wanted to record for myself. So there!

Brooklyn Bridge shot.

Fall at City Hall

NYC Boy

Thursday October 8, 2009

Good morning Chicago and the last day of our whirlwind US tour!

Roel is up early to get in one last store visit before we catch our noon flight to New York!

He gets back to the hotel at 10 and I’m still fast asleep. Oops! I take a quick shower and pack up in 15 minutes. We then jumped into the cab and slip onto our last jetBlue flight for quite some time (hopefully!).

We get into JFK at about 3pm. We both are half asleep for the cab ride home. Yay, my new home! We get back, grab some food and unpack.
I am now sitting in front of the TV typing this while Roel catches up on his recorded Project Runway.

This phase of the journey has come to an end but as noted in my first entry it means a new one is about to begin. Tomorrow I have a few hours to gather myself before I fly out to Winnipeg to visit friends and family. I haven’t been back for two years!! I can’t wait to see everyone again. I also can’t wait for Roel to join me there on October 23 and meet those who have known me since I was.

We’re about to start this season’s Survivor and then go to bed. G’nite!

Winding Down in the Windy City

Wednesday October 7, 2009

Good morning Chi-town!

Roel and I got up at a reasonable time, about nine. I joined him to his store visit today at Old Orchard Mall which is about a half hour cab ride away. We shared a giant salad at the Cheesecake Factory to tide us over.

After the mall we headed straight to our architectural boat tour of downtown Chicago. I’m not a big fan of organized tours, etc but I can confidently say that you are missing out if you visit Chicago and don’t take the time for this tour. There are many boat tours so make sure you take this one.

Beautiful simplicity in its symmetrical perfection or just boring?

On our way walking back to the hotel we passed by an entertainment multiplex. Roel kicked my ass in two games of ten-pin bowling. I am still convincing him that 5-pin bowling is the game usually played in Manitoba (he’s never seen it or played it!!). Hopefully I can show him how it’s done prairie-style when we’re in Winnipeg at the end of the month.

We got some MORE pizza (take-out this time) and ate it while we watched GLEE in our room. After that we changed and went out to Chicago’s Boystown where Roel and I first exchanged glances back on May 22 (aka me grabbing him by the arm and introducing myself). We went in and out a bunch of places but settled on the club we went dancing the first night we met: Spin. We didn’t stay long, mainly because I’m just tuckered out and didn't feel much like dancing. I feel bad that I seem to be slowing us down everyday and I’m the one who isn’t even working. Sorry, Roel. Guess I’m not cut out for this kind of travelling and hours. As much fun as this trip has been it’s not nearly as glamorous as one might think.

We’re home and in bed by midnite.

ZigZag to Chicago

Tuesday October 6, 2009

Good morning San Fran!

Up at 4:30am to grab our Oakland-Long Beach flight. I am exhausted and don’t feel well at all today. Two hours to kill at Long Beach airport (it is TINY). No gates – have to take stairs to get into the planes. Then we caught our flight to Chicago.

Check into The James hotel (one of our favourite rooms). They gave us a beautiful upgrade. Room complete with loft bedroom (raised about one foot from the rest of the room) and a media room. Giant couch/bed with a projector.

We went for some Chicago deep dish pizza at Pizzaria Uno and then went back to the room after grabbing a couple DVDs from the front desk.

We watched the new Indiana Jones until we fell asleep.

Out in San Fran

Monday October 5, 2009

Good morning San Francisco.

Roel is up early to go to his store. Luckily it’s not too far (around the corner). I am struggling with needing to be within 20 feet of a washroom in case disaster strikes. :’( That makes me a little sad seeing as though I was REALLY excited to go exploring in SF today.

I stayed in bed and blogged while Roel came back to the room. He brought back some plain baked goodies to help settle my tummy. So sweet as always. He went back to the store and returned again late afternoon. I had managed to shower and take some Imodium in order to allow us to get out. Too much information? Oops.

There was a Jack in the Box across the street from our hotel. Fate?? After a bite of classic American fast food we took the Muni (SF’s subway) to Castro (the gay motherland). It was fun to walk around and take a peek in the different shops and bars. Nothing too different, cliché or kitsch. Just a nice regular neighbourhood that happens to be inhabited by gays. A little underwhelming actually. Not sure what I expected. And yes, from my brief time in SF I can report that there are A LOT of gay people per capita.

On our way back we grab a coffee to help keep me awake as we go to see Love Happens at The Metreon down the street from our hotel. It was an awful movie. We like our predictable romantic comedies but this one wasn’t believable on any level. If you must see it please rent. We saw a neat light installation by LV on the way back to our hotel.

Unfortunately we have another 4:15am wake-up call to catch our flight out of Oakland. We went straight to bed after the movie.

Fun With the New Fam

Sunday October 4, 2009

Good morning Stockton!

We wake up at 8am and Roel and I head to the street in front of the house to pepper (definition for you non-volleyballers: warm up with a volleyball) since we have been greatly exercise deficient. I am definitely low on energy and still fighting something off but generally feel a little better today.

Once again Roel, his mom and uncle, Roger, Isys and I head out to eat. We have a good’ole hearty breakfast at IHOP before we head out to San Francisco together for the day. We all jump in the Hummer again (it’s a dreadful vehicle in general but a lot of fun to all ride together!). First we stop by Clift Hotel for Roel and I to check in. We then all ride the cable car to The Wharf. SO MUCH FUN! Roel and I chose to hang off the side while the others went inside to more safe and comfortable conditions. A definite highlight of this whole trip in general.

We had some clam chowder in a bread bowl and enjoyed views of Alcatraz and the Golden Gate Bridge.
Some of Roel’s extended family from his dad’s side met up with us. We all had fun just chatting and enjoying the wharf/boardwalk. We all went into a mirrir maze/fun house and arcade. Roel, his cousin Armand and I had a good competition going with the basketball toss at the arcade. And yes, I was the victor mwa-ha-ha! I did need a few tries to get the high score though. :P

Oh! Roel’s immediate family and I took a limo back to our hotel! haha Good times. We said our goodbyes as they were going back to Stockton. I look forward to visiting them again and getting to know them better.

Right now all I want to do is SLEEP.

The In-Laws Aaaa

Saturday October 3, 2009

Mornin’ Long Beach. We’re up at 6am to catch our flight to Sacramento where Roel’s brother will pick us up. I’m feeling a little sluggish (achey and low grade fever) but not full blown sick. I’m thankful for that.

We arrived on time and Roger picked us up and drove us to a Chinese restaurant in Stockton (Roel’s home town) about 40 mins away. We met Roel’s mom and uncle (aka step-father) and Roger’s daughter Isys for a late lunch. It was not as awkward as I thought it would be. Overall I felt comfortable right off the bat (I dare say they were more nervous than I was). Sweet and genuine people.

We went back to his mom’s house/mansion museum to settle in. We spent the afternoon playing volleyball and frisbee with Isys (she’s almost 8!). We all jumped into the Hummer and I got a tour of Stockton. After we got back it was time to meet Roel’s dad and his wife.

As Roger, Roel and I pulled up to the house for dinner I saw a whole lotta vehicles. My heart stopped as Roger and Roel just started laughing. The whole extended family had been given thenews that Roel and I would be there today. Overall probably about 20-25 people. Wow. Saying I was overwhelmed is an understatement.

It was loud and busy. However they all went out of their way to ‘welcome me to the family’ and make feel like I had been there for many years. We got back to his mom’s home at midnight and went straight to bed. Another LOOOONG but great day. I feel like shit. Can’t wait to get some sleep and feel a little better tomorrow!

On the Road Again

Friday October 2, 2009

Good morning Los Angeles. Not a cloud in the sky.
Roel, Shana and I had a glorious breakfast on her rooftop patio. I then followed Roel to three store visits. I started to feel ill halfway through the day and just stayed in the car. All of the travelling and odd hours had caught up with me. It felt like I was getting sick. I was feeling miserable by the time we were packing up to leave Shana’s.

She had just got home with her brand new puppy. It was incredibly cute as all puppies are. Her and Craig looked like happy new parents. Chloe is in good hands.

We left early evening and arrived in Long Beach around 9pm. We stopped in at Frank’s house to say hi. We were supposed to go for dinner but I just wasn’t up to it. :( I was REALLY excited to hang out with Frank. I am grateful that we at least got to hang out for a half hour. Frank is one of my favourite people period. He’s fun loving and a little crazy.

We checked in at The Renaissance downtown and went to bed after eating our room service.

mmm beach

Thursday October 1, 2009

Goodmorning LA! I can’t believe the weather Roel and I have gotten since we left Vancouver. Another gorgeous day at about 90 degrees. Perfect timing. Thank you mother nature!

Roel was off early to work. I had a lazy morning with a great internet connection for a change. Finally caught up with my facebook and email account and posted a few more blog entries. Shana and I met up with Roel and another one of his friends from LA, Ben for lunch at PF Changs at the Beverly Centre. Nothing like white washed Chinese food. Roel had been craving it for days!

Ben is another genuine and mature person. Where does Roel find all these beautiful people? That’s one thing that I’m learning more and more over time. Roel has chosen to surround himself by quality people who all want more out of life than the average rat-race scenario. Sure we all need to participate in it somewhat to survive but they are finding fulfillment outside of that when needed and are open to what the universe has to offer.

After lunch Roel and Ben had to go to their respective jobs and Shana and I were off to Venice Beach! I had never been before but remember it from Romeo & Juliet and was curious to check it out based on descriptions from many friends. It wasn’t quite as ‘crazy’ as I thought it might be but it did make for fabulous people watching. We walked for 20 minutes along the boardwalk. Beautiful and unique homes right along the beach. Also cool cafes, bars and little touristy shops with unique flair (who knew that was possible?!).



We stopped to dip our feet in the water. Cool and refreshing. Shana took a picture of me walking into the water.

I couldn’t resist jumping in (luckily I packed my board shorts) so I changed with a towel wrapped around my waist and rode the waves amongst the surfers. The sky was clear, the water was a pale green, the waves were just right, and I had the company of a great person. My heart was(is) full.

I’m excessively happy in general and know that not so long ago I would have been rolling my eyes and puking a little in my mouth had I read this as someone else’s words not so long ago.

Okay, at the beach...on the way home Shana drove me through the area of Venice that gave it it’s name. I didn’t have my camera but I have to admit it may be one of the most charming communities I have ever seen (at least from the car). The street in front is a sidewalk along a canal and you have a regular back alley. Houses had canoes and small paddle boats ready for use and had beautiful landscaping right up to the sidewalk/canal. My camera wasn’t accessible. Guess I’ll just have to go back one day. :)

We met Roel back at the house and he had some Del Taco waiting for me which I had never tried. YUM! One step up from Taco Bell mexi-style fast food.

We met Jason (one of Roel’s closest friends) for a sushi dinner. I was a little nervous because I was told he was very open with sharing his strong viewpoint on any topic. Plus they go way back with each other in Roel’s previous life as a professional hiphop dancer. Jason was great. You either get him or you don’t. His take and attitude on things is actually endearing. His teasing is actually affection but if you didn’t know any better you’d walk away feeling offended.

Ben met up with the three of us and we went out for a couple of drinks at Fiesta Cantina and then some impromptu dancing at Here. Great night. More than ready for bed.

On to LA

Wednesday September 30, 2009

Goodmorning San Diego!

We headed out to Roel’s next store which is on the way to lala land. We checked out and hit the road in the rental. This time it was a HUGE mall. Somewhere between Metrotown (in Burnaby, BC) and West Edmonton size.

I didn’t really bother exploring. At this point they’re all looking about the same. While Roel did his thing I searched out a good wifi spot with my laptop. I found an excellent place inside Borders (like our Chapters). I spent a couple of hours getting my blog account set-up (finally!) and starting to post entries that I’ve written along the way. We ate at the oh-so touristy Rainforest Cafe. It was my first time and I loved it! Obviously you have to take it for what it is. Cool concept that did actually make me feel like I wasn’t in a mall for a few moments.

Back to the car. Next stop Los Angeles! We are foregoing the hotel and staying with Shana and Craig. Roel and Shana used to work at Hugo Boss together and really are kindred spirits. I wasn’t thrilled because it’s always a little weird to stay at someone’s elses home that you don’t know. You’re never completely at ease in those situations (or maybe it’s just me). Luckily they made me feel completely at home instantly and I was more than happy to have a break from the unwelcoming and sterile hotel rooms. Shana and Craig are the kind of couple that you see together and you are just so happy that they found each other and in love. We all went grocery shopping together at Trader Joe’s (my new favourite grocery store – so cheap to buy HEALTHFUL things!). When we got back they made us an amazing meal of grilled salmon and vegetables. I miss having a bbq (or ‘grill’ for you Americans).

We had a few beers as we watched Glee and Modern Family. For those who aren’t on the band wagon yet you gotta check these shows out. Modern Family is currently my can’t miss show (that I seem to be missing).
I stayed awake as long as I could afterwards. We called it a night shortly thereafter.

By the way, Shana and Craig live in a BEAUTIFUL new town home a block from Santa Monica Blvd in West Hollywood (everything is in walking distance). We lucked out!

Sorry peeps, no pics again. Next post I promise!

San Diego

Tuesday September 29, 2009

Good morning Sand Diego! Woke up fully rested but a little groggy from sleeping close to a much needed 12 hours. We went to the gym, looked for somewhere to do our laundry (without any luck) and were off to Roel’s next store in San Diego.

It was a really neat open-air mall. For those not familiar with this style (I wasn’t) it’s similar to an outdoor shopping plaza or outlet mall but a mall. haha I know that doesn’t make any sense. In other words it was exactly like a mall but without any roof. We had a quick bite at an awesome deli/cafe and Roel was off to Bloomingdales to do his thang.

I found a nice relaxed outdoor foodcourt on the second level with wifi and plunked myself down.

After he was done (about 1.5 hrs) he found me and we were off to Tiffany’s (the store). Roel is set on getting wedding bands asap. I kinda like the fact he’s so excited about it. I am too, but he literally can’t wait. We found one we both agreed on for the first time! BUT it is a little out of our current price range. :s Good news though! We found the same one in white gold for a tenth of the price at a regular jewellers (the one at Tiffany’s was platinum) but they have to order in our sizes. We’ll just wait until we’re in New York before we order. I digress.

After the ring excitement we left the mall and Roel toured me around his old stomping grounds. He lived in San Diego from grades 6-10. Saw old schools he attended and an old apartment he lived in with his dad and two brothers. We went to eat at a San Diego Mexican chain: Cotixan. It was drive-in style but definitely not fast food style. It was some of the best Mexican I have ever had. Their guacamole will change your life.

We went back to the a drugstore to pick some things up and relaxed back at the room before meeting Roel’s first cousin Jon (first cousin on both sides of the family!) for dinner. Jon is mature and insightful beyond his years. It was a brief but great sushi dinner. I’m glad he took the time to meet us. He’s an incredibly busy guy with college and working. Oh! And Roel took me to the touristy outdoor mall famous in downtown San Diego so I could pick up Mariah’s new CD which dropped today! YAY!

After that Roel and I went down the street to check out what nightlife San Diego had to offer. We had done our research ahead of time and knew that it was hiphop night at one club. The music was just ok for it being a hiphop night. It was a really interesting crowd. A good mix of people: young and old, male and female, black and white. You get the idea. We had a few drinks, got our dancing in and headed home by 1. Fun night and glad we got out.

San Diego is a fantastic mid-size city. Perfect weather year-round definitely helps. After first impression I think I could live here.

Me Tired

Monday September 28, 2009

Goodnight or Good morning Orlando!

Oi! We couldn’t get out of bed and ‘snoozed’ many times over. Then again I could have just been dreaming that. Either way getting up at 5am eastern standard time sucks. Even with getting quickly out the door we still had to hurry to the airport. The fact that our GPS navigator ‘Jill’ didn’t agree with the freeway signs added to the nerves. We really didn’t want to miss this flight and spend any longer at the airport than necessary. We followed the signs on the highway to Orlando International, dropped off the rental car and got to our boarding gate exactly at the right time. (Well Roel would have said the right time...I would have said the right time would have been about 40 minutes earlier.)

We left Florida which had treated us very well. Spotless weather the entire time other than a few really quick thundershowers here and there. I am the most tanned I have ever been. I like hurricane season!! I may think differently had I encountered one.

We landed in New York and had a quick turnaround flight to San Diego. We checked in at out hotel in SD at 5pm. Long day. We grabbed a bite at the hotel and went to bed at 7:30. We were able to appreciate our gorgeous view before falling asleep. I can’t remember the last time I have been this exhausted.

The Magic Kingdom

Sunday September 27, 2009

Good morning Orlando!

Up at 7:30am to go the Disney World! But first: driving to new hotel and checking in again and getting our tickets. We had a later start than planned and ended up at the Disney hotel (the cheapest one they had!) at prime check in time. When all said and done we didn’t arrive at the gates until about 10:30am. I don’t want to expand much on the topic but lets just say we had a rough morning and we didn’t feel the Disney magic for a couple of hours. After having a meal and some quiet time we had a good laugh at ourselves and started the day in earnest at about 1.

Once we got on a role we killed that park! (translation for some: we had an awesome time and did everything we wanted). Roel has a long history with Disney going back to some pretty important and precious childhood memories before his family fragmented. He has been to Disneyland more times than he can count. Although we strayed from his original plan we did almost everything in the Magic Kingdom (one of four Disney World parks). We were troopers and didn’t leave until about 11:30pm. Only a few breaks to refuel.

I had my ‘first trip to Disney pin’ and we also both wore ‘just married pins’ with pride. For those not familiar at the entrance of the park there is an individual handing out a variety of Disney pins. After reading our pins Goofy gave me a hug and then pointed to himself and me and pointed at the pin. I explained that I’m still happily married but very flattered by the offer. haha True story.

The hard warm rains started and stopped about four times throughout the day but luckily we were armed with our ponchos from the day before and it didn’t slow us down. Between the short 10 minute downpours it was sunny and humid.

Note to my family: yes, I rode It’s A Small World.

We had a fantastic day and were overtired and giddy by the time we hit the hay. Three and a half hours until we need to get up to catch our flight from Orlando to NY and then catch our connector to San Diego. Shot me now. Not that I’m complaining! There are much worse problems to have.

Universal Scarios

Saturday September 26, 2009

Goodmorning for the last time Miami. So that brilliant midnight swim idea didn’t pan out. He was comatose. I was lucky to relocate him to the bed from the loveseat he was scrunched up on.
We were up early at 8 so that Roel could be at his afternoon appointment on time in Orlando. About a three hour drive. We made omelettes for breaky and packed the salad I made last night for our lunch on the road.

In Orlando we stayed at the JW Marriott (about 15 minutes from Universal Studios). Hotel room was average but the complex and grounds are very impressive. We stayed on the 26th (top) floor. Good view of the hotel’s golf course and tennis.

Roel promptly left after check-in to go to his store. As Roel ran out he told this place ad a lazy river. I then scrapped my blogging plans (I finally had entries all prepared – I just had to post and choose pictures!) I made reservations for us to play tennis at 8pm and then ran to check out the pool.
On my walk around the pool crossing back on forth on bridges over the wandering river I saw a group of people playing beach volleyball. I weaseled my way in for a couple of games but quickly wore out my welcome. By that time I was ready to cool off and try out the pool (another day over 90 degrees plus high humidity). I grabbed an abandoned tube and set forth on my river expedition. It was longer than I expected. Taking about 25 minutes to get around once and that was with me swimming with the current. Would have been a lot longer had I just coasted.

Roel got back to the hotel around 5 with the idea of us going to Universal Studios for Haunted Halloween Night. It had just opened the night prior. I was reluctant to agree as I knew we’d be at Disney World the whole next day. (I generally have little patience for lines and children – especially in this heat. We are also on an extreme budget believe it or not, hence all the cooking. This was definitely not free).
However he convinced me to do it...he would have been heartbroken if we didn’t go. I knew he had his hopes up already. He even spoke to the ticket guy before he got back to the room to propose the idea. We caught our shuttle at 6:40pm and were off. We were armed with a map of the attractions and had our route set out.



http://www.halloweenhorrornights.com/

We stuck to the plan and saw everything we wanted to and more. However we didn’t get back to the hotel until after 1am. It was a lot of fun and I’m glad I experienced it. The 5 or so haunted houses we went to had some scary parts but in general they had too much light and were way too packed with people to be scary. However Roel was literally terrified and turtle and on the ground a few times with his hands over his ears and eyes closed. After the first one I thought for sure we had to leave (too much for him to handle) but he informed me that it’s normal for him and he had a great time. Hahahaha I learn something new about him everyday. He told me he likes to truly put himself in the environment (eg. Trapped in Frankenstein’s mansion, in an actual human butcher shop, etc.) By the way... the 7ft tall Frankenstein men stepping in front of me DID freak me out.

Halfway through the night we got a crazy tropical rainstorm. It came and went a few times through the night. We could have let it ruin our time but rather we bought rain ponchos and jumped in as many puddles as possibles. I think it actually enhanced out time there! haha We also did a few of the regular Universal rides as well (The Mummy Returns roller coaster/special effects ride was my favourite). I also did the mandatory classic Jaws ride. Overall I’m glad for the experience but don’t think I need to go back.

Exploring South Beach

Thursday September 24, 2009

Goodmorning Miami Beach! Another clear sky. J

We stayed up until 1:30am checking out the new late night hosts (Conan and Jimmy: Conan is still not funny and Jimmy was only funny because he had his ex-snl buddy, Amy Poehler, to reminisce with).

ANYWAY, where was I again? Oh yeah. MIAMI!

Well we had a lazy morning in the room. I made our breakfast while Roel got ready for his seminars. I also caught up on facebook and email. Once I saw him off for his day I got ready to head out and see a bit of South Beach. For those familiar I walked all the way down Collins St and Ocean Dr from our hotel...well down to the volleyball courts at least. I passed by the old boutique hotels on Collins St that have all been upgraded but have kept the essence of their 1930’s art deco architecture. I went into some of these hotels (as recommended by Roel) and was blown away after seeing a pretty boring street facade for most.

I also passed by the restaurants and bars on Ocean Dr. Pretty quiet even considering it was a weekday afternoon. Across the street from this strip is the public beach. At the far south end of South Beach there were beach vball nets set-up with proper nets, antenna’s and lines for public use just as Pedro promised! BUT no one was willing to play in the 110 humidex heat. Believe it or not I was all charged-up and ready to work up a sweat since I’ve been a complete slug thus far on the trip. Where are Peter, Pedro and Steve when I need them?


I chose to walk back to our hotel along the waterfront. As I made my way from Ocean Dr to the beach I was greeted by a huge pair of fakely oversized breasts. She was lying on her back and they were still 3 feet in the air standing at attention. Apparently South Beach is top-optional for women. However, obesity and fake boobs are mandatory. Sorry boys, no pictures. Shortly thereafter I came across groups of mostly fit men in Speedos that were not of the European variety. You know what that means: gays!

There was a good mix of people along the beach in general until I got back to the resort-riddled beach area by where we are staying. There were a lot of baby jellyfish washed up along the way too. I asked a lifeguard about them and was told that they were harmless. Reminded me of Spring Break vacations with my parents in South Padre Island. :)

I came back to relax in the pool and made it back to the room just in time to meet Roel. We made some turkey wraps for a late lunch and watched Oprah/had a nap. The humidity was successful once again at taking any energy I had. We awoke from our nap at 7pm and are now both playing on our respective computers in the living room.

I am proud of myself for going out touring for a few hours in this heat rather than succumbing to the comfort of our beautiful room and amenities by the beach.

After taking our time waking up and watching some TV and making our own dinner (again!) we ventured out to find the non-existent gay nightlife of Miami Beach. One club and one lounge later I had to agree with what I had been told...it’s not worth exploring. The club called Score was pretty nice but the music was awful and it was mostly empty. We then made our way to a lounge called Halo. Amazing music and pretty full. However it was filled with lesbians (the angry type). Unfortunately the music wasn’t enough considering no dance floor and weird crowd. As we headed home we poked our head in at a few hotels and checked out the lobbies and pools at night. The National Hotel won for best pool area and The Ritz Carlton for best atmosphere upon entry.

We made it in at about 1:30am and enjoyed a game of Yahtzee before calling it a night.

Bienvenido a Miami

Wednesday September 23, 2009

Good morning Boca! (I’ve learned to drop the Raton as the locals do. Very refined, I know.)

It’s 9:30am and we have 2.5 hours to see the beach and take in the resort grounds. Time for a quick breakfast and out the door! We caught the shuttle and waited very patiently as a 75 year old lady and her husband couldn’t get over the driver’s ‘beautiful gold watch and bracelet’. This resort unapologetically hires based on profile more than I’ve ever seen anywhere else. Shuttle drivers are old black men (I couldn’t find Miss Daisy), cleaning ladies are latino or black women, valet and frontline security are young white guys. You get the idea.

The main lobby and building are amazing. It’s an incredibly old original structure that has been eaten up by the new in places. The cool part is that they have retained the old original walls within the new parts.
We checked out the indoor/outdoor spaces which I know my sister Tannis would have thoroughly appreciated. We also saw numerous fountains and the croquet lawn. After that we hopped the shuttle again to the beach club. This was another monster again. Absolutely beautiful. Numerous sitting rooms, cafe, restaurant, 3 pools and of course, the beachfront.

The beach itself was really nice. However the waves were pretty rough and it got deep fast with a formidable riptide. We stayed pretty close to shore. I also saw a baby jellyfish washed up on the shoreline which freaked Roel out a bit (I shouldn’t have told him). The sand was light brown and medium-fine. The water was a dark Caribbean green and nice and warm. Didn’t flinch for a moment when getting in...nothing to get used to there. However it wasn’t so warm that it didn’t refresh you. We took a quick dip in the main pool and showered off before heading back to the room to pack up.

Next stop was Miami airport as Roel has a store there. I spent an hour+ walking the terminal and observing the energy at the arrivals vs departures, who ate at which restaurants, which airline had the most efficient ground crew and the best looking fight attendants (fyi – Alitalia appeared to be the most friendly & helpful).

After that we made our way to our next temporary home: Hotel Gansevoort in South Beach, Miami Beach. The most beautifully trendy establishment I’ve ever laid eyes on, sorry W. Through one of Roel’s many connections we got hooked up with a sweet suite which probably would have been close to half a paycheque back home. Did I just say home? Weird. This place is the definition of trendy. No one will stay here 10 years from now unless they continue to reinvent every 5 years. In the mean time it’s incredibly sexy and alluring. I’ll save you my lengthy description and just provide you with a link: http://www.gansevoortsouth.com/rooms-suites/index.cfm.

We went for a swim in the rooftop pool and ordered some over-priced appies. Beautiful pool and view.

We went back to the room and from our beach front view balcony we could see a rain storm approaching. We could see the wall of water slowly closing in on land. We hurried as much as we could and made it back down to the beach before it hit! It rained moderately hard for about three minutes and cleared up. haha All smoke and no fire. The cool rain made the ocean feel like a hot tub. God bless hurricane season water temperatures. We played amongst the crashing waves while the giant diving pelicans plummeted for their catch beside us. The sand here is pure white and relatively fine.

We took it easy for evening with a long nap (I blame the draining humidity for all the naps). Those who know me well know that I’ll take any excuse for a nap. Ended the day with picking up some groceries and made a midnight stir fry.

First Day of Nothing YAY

Tuesday September 22, 2009

Goodmorning Boca Raton! HOTHOTHOT already at 8:30am. Temps and humidity through the roof for the foreseeable future. Apparently it rains at night. Works for me! I got up to make us some breakfast before Roel had to head out mid-morning. We enjoyed it on our balcony overlooking some beautiful palm trees and the pool.

I spent the day in and out of the pool. Took a long nap and caught up on facebook and emails. I also tried to figure out my whole financial situation. In short: I need to work when in NY for Nov and Dec. However every penny spent that has put me in this situation has been more than worth it. I’ve been getting exactly what I want out of life and for that I’ll never have regrets.

I needed this day just to re-charge. When Roel came home from work he made dinner for us (he insisted!) and I didn’t put up much of a fight. heehee

After another nap we decided to check out what Ft Lauderdale had for night life. Apparently the city has surpassed San Francisco for being the most gay (the most lisps? the most gays per capita?) I’m not exactly sure what being the gayest city means and I don’t feel like researching it either. However, considering what we saw I am very surprised: our first gay strip mall. Total grungy grossness. Who knew they still allowed smoking indoors anywhere?! It was rather depressing and no decent crowds or scenes to speak of. We tried another gay area in the heart of downtown but the clubs were closed. I know it’s Tuesday but shouldn’t there be something somewhere?? Thoroughly disappointed we successfully consoled ourselves with some Mcd’s drive-thru and went home to sleep.

Stop #1: Boca Raton

Monday September 21, 2009

A brief good morning to New York!

We grabbed some breakfast in the terminal dedicated to JetBlue (an airline we will get to know well over the next few weeks). We caught our 8am flight to Ft Lauderdale and arrived at 11am.
Holy old people! I know Florida is full of retired people but I swear this was a scene from Dawn of the Dead. Was I walking through a set for the sequel? Yikes.

We jumped in the rental car and we were off to Boca Raton! The resort grounds were endless. Our one bedroom suite was easily 1000 sq ft with a brand new full kitchen. Our building also had its own pool separate from the beach club’s three pools. Nice.

We unloaded our luggage and did a quick grocery shop. We raced back and had a good’ole fried chicken meal we picked up pre-made from the store (It was actually as good as Popeye’s. Yummers!). Roel was promptly out the door to work and I organized our new temporary home and tested out the pool area before Roel got back.


I made us dinner and we vegged out in front of the tv before calling it an early night. See you tomorrow. :)

Farewell Vancouver

Sunday September 20, 2009

Good morning Vancouver one last time. I had a good farewell party last night. Thank you to everyone who made the effort to come out (you know, we’ve all had those kinds of parties) and also a thank you to the people who wouldn’t have rather been anywhere else. It was an easy clean-up that was done before Roel and I went to bed. We didn’t go out dancing with everyone else because we were exhausted and knew we had a long day and night of travelling ahead. Truth be told I wanted all my strength for today. I’ve been a bit of a train wreck the last 48 hours as everything is sinking in. Some big life changes...pretty much as big as they come. Not a moment of doubt but still a lot to process.

We ran around all morning getting stuff together and then met Pedro, Peter,Kerwin and Jan for a quick coffee before hopping the QuickCoach bus to sea-tac (Seattle-Tacoma Airport). Thanks to Pedro for organizing us together and to the group as a whole for their patience with Roel and I.

These beautiful people were there to the end. I managed to get on the bus just before the waterworks started. As Roel and I sat in the bus in front of the Holiday Inn on Hornby the group stood beside the bus to send me off in style. Waving me off (or maybe shooing me? haha) until out of sight. It brings me to tears to recall this memory. Bittersweet as all true ‘good’byes are. One chapter must always end before another begins. I know it’s schmaltzy and sentimental but my life seems to be full of clichés and metaphors at the moment. Roel held my hand tight as I cried and laughed for longer than I would like to admit. My six years in Vancouver were a wild ride. Extreme highs and lows which makes this farewell charged with emotion. I’m grateful for the life experience I gained as it has really given me a sense of what is important to me and brought me to a place of true contentment on my own. Meeting Roel was a huge and unexpected cherry on top.

We made it to sea-tac at about 7:30pm for our 10pm red-eye to NY. We arrived at JFK at sunrise.
The next chapter had begun. :)

Preface

I’m using this blog as a sort of diary to capture this exciting time in my life. I’m making it public to feel a little closer to those closest to me when I may be far away.

For those not as close but still interested in reading I'll try to catch you up in as few words as possible.
I quit my job at UBC as of Sept 16 and have started life together with my husband (Roel) as I follow him across the US before we settle in New York together mid-Oct to the year`s end. Then I'll be in Australia for two months and then Roel and I will backpack across SE Asia before setting up a home together somewhere (TBD) next June. Kapeesh? Good. :)

A picture of the happy couple after the ceremony on August 3, 2009.

Longer Version:

I met Roel in Chicago at North American Gay Volleyball Championships (he’s lives in New York). We met on May 22, 2009 (I first saw him when my team reff’d his game) and we spent the weekend together. He ended up buying a plane ticket the day after the tournament for Vancouver. We spent the summer flying back and forth (six visits in total between the two of us). There hasn’t been a day we haven’t spoke to each other since meeting.

We got married in a private ceremony (no guests, just two witnesses) on August 3 in Vancouver. We would have done it a few weeks prior when I was in New York but unfortunately not possible in the land that lady liberty watches over.

Like I’ve explained to a lot of people: I don’t believe that there is one perfect person waiting out there for each of us but Roel is the one I always hoped existed. It’s still surreal and feels like a movie. I pinch myself everyday. I love him so.

Getting us to present...
Long before I met Roel I had decided not to extend my employment with UBC beyond my term end date of September 16, 2009. I was going to take a year to go on a working holiday to Australia and SE Asia and then move to SoCal for a change in scenery. May as well make use of the dual citizenship, right? Let’s just say that as my relationship with Roel has evolved so have my travelling plans. I’m not set to leave for Australia until January 2010 and it will be a much abbreviated version with him joining me in February or March.

In the mean time I am following Roel around for the next few weeks on his extended business trip across the US. Finally, we will be back at his home in NYC on Oct 8 (where I will stay until I leave for Australia). Confused? I am.

Let us begin!

Disclaimer: I'm not going back to fix typos I don't catch the first run through. Time is too precious! Also, I realize my tenses are all over the place. I'm writing different pieces at different times and filling in here and there as I remember. There, I feel better now.